Artest optimistic after private meeting with Phil

BOSTON -- Their first season together is almost over, but Ron Artest and Phil Jackson are still getting to know each other.

Artest revealed that he and Jackson had a private meeting Friday in which Artest sought and Jackson gave the coach's endorsement in Artest being allowed to shoot the ball more freely in the Lakers' offense.

"When I got the coach on my side, there's really no stopping me," Artest said brightly after Lakers practice Saturday.

Jackson also seemed optimistic after the meeting, saying on Friday: "I have confidence Ron is going to have a game and be ready for a ballgame. He's had a really tough shooting situation in this series and he hasn't done well. Defensively he's been fine, but offensively it hasn't been quite the same. So he has a game to get to and to play."

On Saturday, Jackson was asked what Artest needs to do better and replied: "Just his outside shot. He took the ball to the basket, got some offensive rebounds, I thought made some plays off of the dribble and finding his teammates (in Game 4). He just has to find a shot and get consistent with it."

Artest said the Lakers "forgot I could shoot" after he slumped following a strong start shooting this season. He said it carried over to the whole team.

"Guys lost confidence in me," he said.

For his career entering this season, Artest was a 42.2 percent field-goal shooter, 34.2 percent on 3-pointers (although he was 38.0 and 39.9 the past two seasons). In the 2009-10 regular season as he learned the triangle offense, Artest was at 41.4 percent from the field and 35.5 on 3-pointers.

In this postseason, Artest is shooting just 39.8 percent from the field and 27.3 percent on 3-pointers. In the NBA Finals, he is at 32.4 percent overall and 28.6 percent on 3-pointers (4 of 14, when no one else but Kobe Bryant has taken more than seven shots).

Artest worked on his 3-point shooting at length after practice Saturday in a two-man exercise with teammate Sasha Vujacic. Artest said he will make Boston pay for leaving him open, citing some timely baskets he made in the previous three rounds and in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

"You're going to see good games," he said.

Artest's frustration with Jackson questioning his 3-point shooting publicly boiled over during the Western Conference semifinals against Utah; Artest complained via his Twitter account about Jackson talking to reporters about his shooting before talking to Artest. At that time a month ago, Artest also Tweeted for Jackson to "somehow close his yapper."

But Artest was feeling good after huddling with the coach leading up to Game 5 Sunday night in these tied NBA Finals -- because apparently his mind has been a little clouded. When I asked Artest when he and Jackson had their meeting, Artest gently put both hands on my shoulders and struggled initially to recall.

"What's today?" he asked. Told it was Saturday, he said: "Friday? When did we play, Thursday? Must've been Friday."

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.